Tooth cleaning and polishing tool



July 7, 1931. H. R. PRIEST TQOTH CLEANING AND POLISHING TOOL Filed July 15, 1930 Z fi//W w W a 7 w W H 2 w M Z 7 2 fla 3 6 I. z z n j 7 3 f a M j 9 z Patented July 7, 1931 .HARRY R. PRIEST, OF LOUDONVILLE, OHIO TOOTH CLEANING AND POLISHING TOOL Application filed July 15,

This invention relates to tooth cleaning and polishing tools and has for an object to provide a tool capable of withstanding great pressure whereby stains, tartar and a 1'5 other accumulations may be effectively removed from the teeth, the tool having a reversible cap which when applied to one end of the tool forms a grip whereby great leverage may 'be exerted upon the tool, and when 30 applied to the opposite end, the cap serves as a housing to protect the cleaning and polishing tuft element from contamination.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tooth cleaning and polishing tool in which the shank of the tool is provided with a goose neck contiguous to the cleaning and polishing tuft element to comfortably receive the lips while the tuft element is being manipulated at various angular positions to operate on the fronts, backs, and edges of the teeth from the gums to the biting edges thereof, said shank having a recess at one end to receive a supply of dental floss a separate cap being provided in addition to the usual cap which closes said recess and carries the dental floss cutter, said additional cap being adapted to form a housing to pro tect the projecting end-of the dental floss from contamination.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tooth cleaning and polishing tool having the reversible cap provided with a mirror and having also an additional cap detachably secured to the reversible cap and also carrying a mirror, the two mirrors providing means for thoroughly inspecting theteeth, since said cap mirror may be held in the mouth on the tongue and the mirror of the reversible cap, which, as above stated is 0 also a grip, may be held outside the face to reflect the image from the mirror in the mouth so that the backs of both the upper and lower teeth may be conveniently inspected.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to Within the 1930. Serial No. 468,131.

scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, I

Figure l is a perspective view of the tooth cleaning and polishing tool in operative position,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the cleaning and polishing tool in the position shown in Fig.1, v I

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the tool withthe reversible cap forming a housing for the cleaning and polishing tuft element and showing the separate cap housing the dental floss projecting end, and Fig.4 is a greatly enlarged detail view showing a conical shaped cleaning and polishing tuft element. i

1 Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, 10 designates a substantially cylindrical shank which is pro vided near one endpreferably with a pair of screw threaded surfaces 11 and '12 adapted to selectively receive a hollow reversible cap 13. The cap is interiorly threaded, as shown at 14, near one end to engage the above mentioned screw threads 11 and12.

The shank 10 is cutaway laterally, as

shown at 15, to provide a goose neck and termlnates contiguous to the goose neckin a relatively short annular head 16, the surfaces of which are rounded, as shown at 17 and 18. The head extends substantially at a right angle to the axis of the shank and is so constructed as to extend in length to approximately the extended axis or center line of the shank 10.

A cleaning and polishing element is removably carried in the head and comprises a socket 1 9which is provided with a reduced threadedstem 20 adapted to screw into the head which is threaded to receive the stem. A single unitary comparatively rigid. tuft 21 of bristles, preferably badger or boar bristles, is rubber setor embedded. in a hard rubber base22 whic h latter is driven snugly of the material. A spur.27 isstruck from the metal of the cap andfo'rms a cutter so that a desired length of the-dentalfloss may. be cut off.

.The': above mentioned". reversible caps 13, Wham scirewedr onto the threads 11 of. the shank formsi'a ggrip by; means of whichv great "pressure may'rbe applied: to the: shank for causing the tuft Qlto scour off: stains 'itartar and other: accumulations from the teeth. By means of the grip -great leveragecan be exerted to apply ressure up to andkexceeding-2O :pounds, which-great pressure is necessany as; 'is' well known to those, skilled in the art 'of dentist-11y; to remove-disfiguring discolorat-ions and accumulations from the teeth: and expose: the natural: :polish and luster. thereof.

The, cap,- 13. is providedin the; closed-1 end 28'lwithamirror 29.. and preferably an additional'cap 30 is screwed onto the exterior of the reversiblecap. or grip 13, as shown at 31,-, and. this; additional cap is also equipped with mirror 32. The-,c apiiOv-maybe held intthe mouth on the tongue to, reflect the images of thebaeks: of "the upper and lower teeth f iomz the mirror 32 onto the 'mirror 29; of the grip:18,- which: latter maybehfeld outside the face inproper positionto: view thejreflected image from the mirror 32.

By referring to Fig. 3,;i't wilLbe'seenthat the reversible oafp-13-may be appliedlto the screw threads; 12 in which position the cap forms; a housing for the cleaningand polishing. tu-ftt 21 to prevent contamination he e f- .i I a @Vhen the reversible. capi13isinposition to form a housing, .it is desirable alsol to have the projecting end 26 ofthe dental: floss protected from coatamimacniand fr this purpose acap'3I3"is providecL'pr'eferahly, the cap being provided with internal screw threads to engage the screw threads of the cap 24'. p

InFig. 4 is shown a modifiedformo f the cleaning and polishing element, the same 'cdmpri s'inga socket"3'5 which is provided was 'a-threa ded stem 36; LA: substantially conical tuft 37"ofrelh1tively s ti'ff' bri'st-les is rubber 'seto'r rambedaeapirembiy in a hard rubber base; as'above described; and driven into the" socket so as tobecome integrally ass'miatea therewith. Various other contours arenas may-te-empldyedtoa-ecominb date the device to various conditions of service.

t will be noted that by virtue of the goose neck 15 in the shank the tool may be manipulated between the lips without injury to the latter, while by virtue of the cleaningandlpolishing tuftv21 projecting at SiibstantEal'ly a right angle to the axis- 0f the shanklO, the tool may be manipulated in various angular positions to scour the fronts andbacks'o'f'the teeth as well as the crevices therebetween tothoroughly remove accumulations therefrom.

It will be here stated that the tool above described is capable of withstanding great pressure, since the bristles in-the tuft'2l are so comp actly assembled andare ofr such: short 'le'ngt-hlas toresistlateral spreading, such as is found in the use of 'O'IiClllHHytOOt-h "brushes whenl press'ure is applied 'thereto.. It is-well known that; ordinary tooth brushes are 'only capable of withstanding a aressure-up to about 12 pounds when boththe bristle comiponent andi thehandle componentbecome entirely ineffective; due to spreading apart ofithebristles and in: some cases breaking of the handles;

lVhi'le ordinary tooth brushes cease to function under pressures exceeding- 12 pounds, and: therefore are entirely. inade- T quate; to) remove stains and tartar which re?- qu'ireugreat presstire;.my improved device, it willi be observed; is designed primarily to accomplish! the removal: as stains 'and 'tartar and there fore is capable of withstanding the great pressures whiohvmustl be used'to exposeithe-true luster and polish of theteeth It willi'be pointedi'out that when the revfensible cap 13 is engaged" selectively with 4 either'ofthe "t'wo=sets of screw threads 11 or 12, it will; extendinlprolongation of theaxis ofth'e gnip 10, as best shoivn in Figs. 2 and It will be further POlHtGd-(lllt'thflh when the additional cap 33 is applied, this cap coaetswith: the reversible cap l3 inffo'rming as complete housing so! that the cleaning and polishingbnistle tuft 21 as well as the projecting'end 26 of the dental floss are both IDS completely housed and protect'edaagainst contaminati'on when the device is not iniuse.

For ventilating the-cleaning and: polish ing eleme nt orifices '38 are formed in the wall.of thereversible-cap 13 near the major the invention "the cap: being 'f rustorconical inicontour to provide a comfortable lange grip; when used as such. Thev 'miIIO'D' 29 being inft'hebutt end of ther evers'i'ble capii's of suflicient diameter to be very effet ive in the goose neck to extend at substantially a right angle to the axis of the shank and of suflicient length to extend approximately to said axis, a cleaning and polishing element detachably secured in said head, a dental floss magazine in the shank opposite said head, and a reversible cap adapted to form either a grip to extend in prolongation of said shank and house said magazine or a housing to house said cleaning and polishing element.

2. A cleaning and polishing tool comprising a shank having a dental floss magazine in one end, a cleaning and polishing element disposed at the opposite end of said shank, said shank being provided exteriorly of said magazine with sets of screw threads, and a detachable cap adapted to engage one set of said screw threads and extend in prolongation of said shank to house said magazine and form a grip for applying pressure to said cleaning and polishing element and being adapted to be reversed to engage the other set of screw threads and surround and prevent contamination of said cleaning and polishing element.

3. A cleaning and polishing tool comprising a shank having an axial recess for the storage of dental floss, a cap forming a closure for said recess and provided with an opening to permit the end of the dental floss to project 'therethrou h, said cap having a cutter for cutting of? a desired length of said dental floss, a cleaning and polishing element on said shank remote from said recess, said shank being threaded exteriorly at spaced points adjacent to said recess, and a reversible cap adapted to engage one set of said screw threads and extend in prolongation of said shank to form a grip therefor, said cap being adapted to be reversed and engage the other set of screw threads and when in this position forming a housing to protect said cleaning and polishing element from contamination, said cap when positioned to form a grip concealing the first named cap for the dental floss recess and protecting the dental floss from contamination.

4. A cleaning and polishing tool comprising a shank, a cleaning and polishing element removably attached to one end thereof and extending at substantially a right angle to the axis of said shank, there being an axial recess formed in said shank at the opposite end thereof from said element and adapted to receive dental floss, said shank being exteriorly threaded at spaced points adjacent to said recess, a cap adapted to house the end of said dental floss, and a reversible cap having screw threads adapted to engage one of said threaded portions of said shank and form a housing over said cleaning and polishing element, said reversible cap being adapted to be reversed to engage the other threaded portion of the shank and when in this position forming a prolongation of the shank and providing a grip for applying leverage to the shank and the cleaningand polishing element.

5. A cleaning and polishing tool comprising a shank, said shank having screw threads disposed at spaced points thereon, a cleaning and polishing element secured at one end of the shank and projecting sub stantially at an angle thereto and comprising a single tuft of comparatively rigid bristles, a reversible cap adapted to be selectively engaged with either of said screw threaded portions of said shank to form either a grip for the shank or a housing for said cleaning and polishing element, a dental floss magazine in said shank, and a cap adapted to house the dental floss projecting end, said reversible cap and the last named cap forming a complete housing for the cleaning and polishing tuft and the dental floss projecting end.

In testimony whereof I affix my si nature.

, HARRY R. PRIEST. L. s.] 

